East Asia

List of East Asia articles

Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for group photos during the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit, occurring on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11.
Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for group photos during the 15th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit, occurring on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, on May 11.

The Indo-Pacific Has Already Chosen Door No. 3

So-called fence-sitters are rejecting zero-sum geopolitical binaries in favor of multi-alignment.

Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs the first China-Central Asia Summit in Xian, China on May 19, 2023.
Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs the first China-Central Asia Summit in Xian, China on May 19, 2023.

The Stans Can’t Play Both Sides Anymore

As Russia and China grow closer, Central Asian leaders don’t have as much leverage—or independence—as they once did.

A Chinese visitor watches the map of the Chinese petroleum pipeline at the 2009 China International Energy Saving, Emissions Reduction and New Energy Science & Technology Expo on March 21, 2009 in Beijing.
A Chinese visitor watches the map of the Chinese petroleum pipeline at the 2009 China International Energy Saving, Emissions Reduction and New Energy Science & Technology Expo on March 21, 2009 in Beijing.

Stop Worrying About Chinese Hegemony in Asia

U.S. fears are not only irrational—they’re a potential self-fulfilling prophecy.

A Chinese guard stands on a platform at dusk, wearing his uniform and a medical face mask. The guard is in front of a short building with a wall labeled "European Commission" beside the EU flag.
A Chinese guard stands on a platform at dusk, wearing his uniform and a medical face mask. The guard is in front of a short building with a wall labeled "European Commission" beside the EU flag.

China Can’t Have It Both Ways in Europe

Beijing is blowing up its relationships by backing Russia.

A couple walk past a billboard calling for a stop to domestic violence in Beijing
A couple walk past a billboard calling for a stop to domestic violence in Beijing

Chinese Courts Want Abused Women to Shut Up

Personal and political violence are intermixed in authoritarian societies.

A closeup photo shows Xi and Biden standing next to each other and smiling at each other with a Chinese flag in the background.
A closeup photo shows Xi and Biden standing next to each other and smiling at each other with a Chinese flag in the background.

Is the Biden Administration Going Soft on China?

A policy shift toward economic engagement with Beijing seems to be underway in the White House.

Police officers guard a new laser and water show on June 30, 2017 in the old town of Kashgar, in Xinjiang , China
Police officers guard a new laser and water show on June 30, 2017 in the old town of Kashgar, in Xinjiang , China

China Is Turning a Crushed Xinjiang Into a Tourist Trap

After years of human rights abuses, Beijing wants Han visitors in the region.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 16, 2022.

ASEAN and the Quad Inch Closer Together

Southeast Asian skepticism toward the foursome is softening.

A U.S. Navy officer patrols the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship docked in Gdynia, Poland, on Sept. 17, 2022.
A U.S. Navy officer patrols the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship docked in Gdynia, Poland, on Sept. 17, 2022.

4 Ways U.S. Support for Ukraine Helps Defend Taiwan

From deterrence to military readiness, Ukraine aid is a major boost to Pacific security.

An aerial view shows a several green and brown fields, including one covered with rows of solar panels. Beyond the solar plant are trees, a river, and a small cluster of buildings.
An aerial view shows a several green and brown fields, including one covered with rows of solar panels. Beyond the solar plant are trees, a river, and a small cluster of buildings.

Beijing and Washington Are Battling Over Africa’s Green Future

The energy transition depends on building partnerships with African states.

A woman sleeps beneath a billboard promoting new urban development in Beijing.
A woman sleeps beneath a billboard promoting new urban development in Beijing.

China Is Developing and Developed at the Same Time

The world’s second-largest economy has a historically unique economic status.

Houses are shown on the edge of deep gouges in the land.
Houses are shown on the edge of deep gouges in the land.

U.S. Apathy Paved the Way for China in Africa

Despite a strong foothold during the Cold War, Washington has since fumbled on the continent.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova speaks next to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov at the Black Sea Security Summit in Bucharest, Romania, on April 13.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova speaks next to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov at the Black Sea Security Summit in Bucharest, Romania, on April 13.

How Kyiv Is Wooing the Global South

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova on convincing the rest of the world to stand on the right side of history.

People release paper lanterns beside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial—one of the only buildings left standing in the city after the World War II devastation—to mark the 77th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.
People release paper lanterns beside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial—one of the only buildings left standing in the city after the World War II devastation—to mark the 77th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan.

The Paradox of Hiroshima

This weekend’s G-7 summit is not the first time the city’s national context has complicated its status as a global peace symbol.

Graduates wearing cap and gown wait during a commencement ceremony at Wuhan University in Wuhan, China.
Graduates wearing cap and gown wait during a commencement ceremony at Wuhan University in Wuhan, China.

Chinese Graduates Are Asking Where All the Good Jobs Went

Record youth unemployment is causing a rethink of education’s value.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend an event at Tsinghua University in Beijing on April 26, 2019.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend an event at Tsinghua University in Beijing on April 26, 2019.

China Won’t Let Russia Starve the World

The end of the Black Sea Grain Initiative would hurt Beijing, too.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin make a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin make a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

Why Xi Is Ghosting Biden

Beijing’s refusal to talk to Washington is part of a war of attrition against U.S. influence.

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